Mitchells Family of Stores Named 2014 Top Innovator by Apparel Magazine

April 29, 2014 - New York, NY

New York, NY – April 29, 2014 – ThoughtWorks Retail today announced that Mitchells Family of Stores has been named a 2014 Top Innovator by Apparel Magazine. Mitchells was selected for its highly personalized customer engagement platform that supports its unabashed pursuit of shopper intimacy, a cornerstone of its operations from its very first store. Mitchells has quickly transitioned to a “responsive organization” by leveraging rapid experimentation as it incorporates a continuous feedback development process.

Instead of taking the traditional approach to customer engagement, Mitchells partnered with ThoughtWorks to develop a technology platform that enables true 1:1 interactions. Mitchells’ sales associates now curate individual style recommendations with personalized communications for their clients, using key product characteristics such as designer, size and inventory details, combined with robust customer information on preferences and purchase history. This level of individualized collaboration gives Mitchells’ shoppers exactly what they want. As a result, overall store traffic has increased, an enviable feat given the intense competition from many luxury department stores.

“The Mitchells name has always been synonymous with legendary customer service, and in partnering with ThoughtWorks we knew we’d only strengthen that tradition”, said Russ Mitchell, Co-President, Mitchells Family of Stores. “With the ThoughtWorks implementations, we’re able to see and experience innovative ideas on a weekly basis, allowing us to make real-time strategy decisions based on our dynamic business needs and direction.”

“Mitchells is a leader as an independent luxury chain, and they have fostered a culture of continuous innovation that ThoughtWorks greatly admires”, said Robin Copland, Vice President of Retail, Americas, ThoughtWorks. “We wanted to bring Mitchells and their shoppers the next generation of customer engagement experiences using a unique platform for digital collaboration between sales associates and their clients.”

Apparel Magazine’s annual Top Innovator award recognizes apparel retailers, brands and manufacturers who have deployed new technology in unique ways to improve their business.

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